Super Rugby Expansion

Canes4life

Suggestions have been made recently for Super Rugby to expand into the U.K/Pacific Islands.
 
I have come up with a tongue and cheek Super Rugby model for the future which you may like or highly dislike. Personally I don't want to see it expand but I believe this is the only way for it to work if it does.
 
Basically you have two conferences (North and South below). Each team within their respective conference plays one another in a throwback to the original Super 12.
The Top 4 from each each conference will then crossover and play Super Rugby Quarters finals, Semi Finals and then the Final (played at the venue of the strongest overall team).
 
I've added four U.K teams, one American team and one pacific island team which adds to 24 overall teams.
 
A positive to having two conferences would be the travel factor, meaning teams will not have to travel as far as they would in the current system.
 
North Conference:
1. Wales
2. Ireland
3. England
4. Scotland
5. Sharks
6. Stormers
7. Bulls
8. Lions
9. Cheetahs
10. Kings
11. Jaguars
12. America 2
 
 
South Conference:
1. Pacific Island
2. Blues
3. Chiefs
4. Hurricanes
5. Crusaders
6. Highlanders
7. Brumbies
8. Waratahs
9. Reds
10. Western Force
11. Rebels
12. Sunwolves

Stargazer

I really hope it's not going to happen, but if it does, then I'd swap the Jaguares and Sunwolves for the simple reason that the Jaguares are from the SH and Sunwolves from the NH. Jaguares are fine as far as time zones are concerned (I love Sunday morning games); Sunwolves and American team (I assume that's North America?) should be in same conference, esp if the American team is based in the West of the continent. In both cases, travel for the Sunwolves and Jaguares (and American team) remains a nightmare.
 
Not sure how they'd organise a PI team. Don't think it should be based in NZ or Oz, because then the Islands don't get to profit from it (I mean supporters, local economy, development of local rugby). The financial obstacles of a PI team cannot be ignored either.
 
Instead of adding teams to Super Rugby and changing the format again, I'd be much more in favour of synchronising the rugby seasons in the NH and SH, and then organise a play-off between the top 2-4 teams of each competition (Super Rugby, Eur Champions Cup) for a world club title at the end of the season. To be included, the American pro competition should first mature more.

Gunner

Bugger all that. 
Bring back the NPC as our premier professional competition.

Hooroo

That will not and can not ever happen. Just not enough money in it without the overseas interest

No Quarter

I don't even want to discuss expanding the Super comp any further, it's already so fucking diluted.

antipodean

The upshot of this will be that it will become so ungainly, with massive disparity between the best and worst teams that an elite competition will eventuate from the best teams, offering a much improved spectacle for the viewing audience and the whole process will start again...

taniwharugby

need a global season first:
 
Play starts Feb-end of June, break July/Aug
Starts up Sep-end of Nov, break Dec/Jan.
 
Although each break could probably be 6 weeks giving players 12+ weeks off a year...making a max of 40 games per year

ACT Crusader

Bring back Super 12. No conference rubbish. Every team plays each other. The comp doesn't drag out to long. There's sufficient prep time for test footy.

Hooroo

What were the teams for Super 12?
 
Was it 5,4,3?

taniwharugby

5 NZ sides
Natal, Northern Transvaal, Transvaal and Western Province
3 Aussie sides

Billy Tell

I have no idea why SANZAAR would want to negate the entertainment factor of Super Rugby: a top of the table Pro 12 clash between Irish sides Connacht and Leinster resulted in a 7-6 scoreline over 80 minutes of rugby. Thanks but no thanks for NH representation.
 
I do think Super Rugby should expand to 20 teams - an extra Argentinian side and probably another side from Asia or North America, to balance the format.
 
Unfortunately, corruption means the Pacific Islands are probably a no-runner.

Unco

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="567989" data-time="1459209283">
<div>
I really hope it's not going to happen, but if it does, then I'd swap the Jaguares and Sunwolves for the simple reason that the Jaguares are from the SH and Sunwolves from the NH. Jaguares are fine as far as time zones are concerned (I love Sunday morning games); Sunwolves and American team (I assume that's North America?) should be in same conference, esp if the American team is based in the West of the continent. In both cases, travel for the Sunwolves and Jaguares (and American team) remains a nightmare.
 
Not sure how they'd organise a PI team. Don't think it should be based in NZ or Oz, because then the Islands don't get to profit from it (I mean supporters, local economy, development of local rugby). The financial obstacles of a PI team cannot be ignored either.
 
Instead of adding teams to Super Rugby and changing the format again, I'd be much more in favour of synchronising the rugby seasons in the NH and SH, and then organise a play-off between the top 2-4 teams of each competition (Super Rugby, Eur Champions Cup) for a world club title at the end of the season. To be included, the American pro competition should first mature more. 
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Uh, 7:30PM in NZ -> 3:30AM in Argentina. Just because you love it, doesn't mean the Argies will. Meanwhile Japan's only 3 hours behind NZ, so as far as time zones go, Japan makes far more sense to be grouped with us, while Argentina makes far more sense to be grouped with the Saffas.
 
Anyway, the only expansion I'd like to see is Argentina getting a second team.

Stargazer

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Unco" data-cid="568097" data-time="1459227350">
<div>
Uh, 7:30PM in NZ -> 3:30AM in Argentina. Just because you love it, doesn't mean the Argies will. Meanwhile Japan's only 3 hours behind NZ, so as far as time zones go, Japan makes far more sense to be grouped with us, while Argentina makes far more sense to be grouped with the Saffas.
 
Anyway, the only expansion I'd like to see is Argentina getting a second team.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
You haven't been watching the Jaguares home games, have you? They started at 10.40am NZT (-> 6.40pm in Argentina; they are 16 hours behind NZ). I was talking about the Jaguares home games, not NZ games.
 
My comment that I love Sunday morning games was written between brackets, in case you didn't notice (it was a personal comment, just as I wrote my personal opinion on this topic; it wasn't about what the Argies might think of it). 
 
Anyway, as I said before, I hope this kind of expansion doesn't happen.

Crash

If the Sunwolves last beyond this saeaon, then I'll eat my hat....they/re already suffering dwindling audiences in Singapore

Unco

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="568111" data-time="1459229681">
<div>
You haven't been watching the Jaguares home games, have you? They started at 10.40am NZT.
 
My comment that I love Sunday morning games was written between brackets, in case you didn't notice (it was a personal comment, just as I wrote my personal opinion on this topic; it wasn't about what the Argies might think of it). 
</div>
</blockquote>
 
What are you talking about? My point was that the Jaguares are a bad fit for the NZ/Aus conference due to the exact point you brought up, time zones. Putting them in the SA conference makes far, far more sense due to that reason alone. Take a look at a schedule with all the different times to see for yourself:
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.superxv.com/fixtures/'>http://www.superxv.com/fixtures/</a>
 
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crash" data-cid="568114" data-time="1459230556">
<div>
If the Sunwolves last beyond this saeaon, then I'll eat my hat....they/re already suffering dwindling audiences in Singapore 
</div>
</blockquote>
Move all their home games to Japan and I think they'll be fine. They've had enough close games to give them a little credibility, which is more than anyone can say about the Kings.

African Monkey

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crash" data-cid="568114" data-time="1459230556">
<div>
If the Sunwolves last beyond this saeaon, then I'll eat my hat....they/re already suffering dwindling audiences in Singapore 
</div>
</blockquote>
They do get very good attendances in Japan.

Stargazer

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Unco" data-cid="568117" data-time="1459230878">
<div>
What are you talking about? My point was that the Jaguares are a bad fit for the NZ/Aus conference due to the exact point you brought up, time zones. Putting them in the SA conference makes far, far more sense due to that reason alone. Take a look at a schedule with all the different times to see for yourself:
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.superxv.com/fixtures/'>http://www.superxv.com/fixtures/</a>
 
 
Move all their home games to Japan and I think they'll be fine. They've had enough close games to give them a little credibility, which is more than anyone can say about the Kings.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
True only if NZ home games against the Jaguares should always be played in the evening. If you have a kick-off time of 2.35pm (like in NPC) on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, it's no worse for Argentinian viewers than their (current) away games in SA. It all depends on how flexible they (Sanzaar, broadcasters etc) can and want to be. I find the travel distance a far more convincing argument for placing the Argies in a SA Group (and Sunwolves in Australasian) than time zones.

Unco

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="568130" data-time="1459234062">
<div>
True only if NZ home games against the Jaguares should always be played in the evening. If you have a kick-off time of 2.35pm (like in NPC) on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, it's no worse for Argentinian viewers than their (current) away games in SA. It all depends on how flexible they (Sanzaar, broadcasters etc) can and want to be. I find the travel distance a far more convincing argument for placing the Argies in a SA Group (and Sunwolves in Australasian) than time zones.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
SANZAAR isn't going to do that and we all know. They want as many games as possible during EU/SA friendly times.
 
And yeah, I agree on the travel distance, I just figured that was a given. SA to Japan and vice versa is a pretty insanely long flight.

hydro11

I would be a lot happier with the current system if we got rid of the Sunwolves and added another Argentinian team.

booboo

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="568066" data-time="1459220439">
5 NZ sides 
Natal, Northern Transvaal, Transvaal and Western Province 
3 Aussie sides</blockquote>
 
SA teams were whoever was top 4 in the previous year's Currie Cup. 
So Free State made the cut in 97 in place of WP. 
Appears the permanent franchises from SA were entered in 98.

The Silver Fern

Super Rugby Expansion